The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1887-05-09
THE SESSION MERELY PRELIMI-
NARY FOR TODAY'S WORK.
Retiring President q. A. Levi Sab.
mits His annual Message to
the Lodge.
0FAIRLY PROSPEROUS, With A
slight INCREASE.
Regular Business Outlined for the
Meeting and Officers
Elected.

At 10 O'Clock yesterday forenoon
District Grand Lodge NJ. 7, Indepen-
dent Order B'uai Bfith, assembled in
its fourteenth annual aession at the
hall of the Young Mems Hebrew AS.
ISOLATION, corner of Second and Union
streets. The meeting was called to
order by the President, G. W. L;vi,
who read his enrasl address, as fol-
lows:
To the officers and members Of District
Grand Lodge No. 7, Independent Order
B'nai Birth:
BRETHREN-With gratitude to the
Almighty for granting us the privilege
of this reunion, xtend to you mos
hearty welcome to This fourteenth an
nual convention I District No. 7, and
trust your labors may result in much
good TO the district and order, and oe
creditable to your wisdom and zsal for
the CAUSE in which We ara united.
Every year our lodges are called upon
to select from tn ir numbers
tho who are considered most
capable to nicely legislate for the best
administration uf the fairs of the
District. This year the cho'cs has
fallen upon you, and probably no
prior convention has been burdened
with graver resp ,nsibilities.
Ihsve proiould hope, not clouded
with doubt that your duties will be
undertaken aud discharged earnestly
and with commendable temper, m d.
GRAFTON and fairness. Looking over
the events OF last year We find much
to be thankful for. Our district has
increased, not only in membership
but its finances and its power to do
good, aud today this order to which it
belongs stands forth the peer of any
similar institution The increase dur
ing my term OF Office is sll the more
gratifying, because it marks what l
hope Is permanent departure from
the discouragements OF previous
wears. On the subject of "deaths"
Piesident Levi said: "During the
past year the angel of death has not
passed Us by. The charters Of
q number Of our lodges have been
drsped in morning-some who were
with us at previous conventions are
not with us today, The grief of their
mourniog wives and children moves
us to fully realize he depth Of SORROW
we are called upon to alleviate and
the sscredness of our guardians lips of
the loved ones Of this dead.
l recommend that suitable tribute be
paid to our departed brother of this
convention.
STATE OF THE DISTRICT.
For statistical and financial info rma.
ton l refer you 10 the reports of the
secretary and treasurer. The secrets-
ry's report shows that as against a
membership last May of 225Q our
present membership is 1898.
The Rev. Bother Voorsanger, of
Houston, Tex, resigned as member
of the District Coutt If Appeals and
Brother L Frunkel, Of Beth Zur
Lodge, was elected to fill the vacancy.
Ia March a charter was granted to
Birmingham Lodge, No, 1888, at Bir-
miDgham, Ala, aud was duly in
stalled.
Nahum Lodge, No. 800, cons lidated
with Dallas Lodge, No. 147, January,
1887, and Porkdsle Lodge, No. 229,
consolidated with Hill City Lodge,
No. 241, in March.
President Lee referred to the gen.
eral condition and progress of the eu-
during monuments of Jewish charity
the Cleveland Orphans Asylum,
and the New Orleans Home and Touro
Infirmary-the Home numbering
$50 inmates, and the Cleveland in
sititution with 30e orphans, viz: 130
girls and 179 boys, all in good health
and well cared for, and he hoped that
voluntary contributions in aid of these
institutions would be more liberal,
but he could not recommend any in
creased contributions by the district.
FINANCES.
President Levi referred to the fact
that when he declined the ofics of
President he fouod that no bonds had
been exacted or made by the faancial
officers of the district, excepting the
t. ssurer, but the bonds were at once
given on demand being made.
ENDOWMENT.
After referring to several sections of
ths organic law OF The order as to en-.
doWments, President Levi referred to
the enactment of 1885, with reference
to the admission of non participating
members under the age Of 80, fails to
prescribe any conditions or mode OF
procedure for the admission Of such
brethren to participate in tho eldow-
lment, and the defect in the law
,shoud,be cured by appropriate legis-
lation. He also recommended that
admission to membership in che Or
der, witkout participating in the en-
dowment fund, be allowed to persons
over As years of age.
BYLAWS OF LODGES, ETC.
President Levi called attention to |
the fact thai The bylaws Of many ofkhe |
subordinate lodges are probably in |
conflict with the Jaws OF the district,
in which repestsd changes have bsen
made, and be desmed revision of tbs |
bylaws of the lodges essential.
IETRLLEcTUAL CULTURE.
The President said he wluld renew |
the recomme 1dati1Ds of his predeCes-
cor, TO appoint in each lodge a Conn
mittee on Intellectual Culture, and
further recommended that Q specia |
aoraniitRa ha unpoinled at ihia a1n-